UK spouse visa for Afghan nationals
What this visa is
The UK Family Visa (Partner route) allows the spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner of a British citizen or person settled in the UK to come and live there long-term. This is a settlement route, not a visitor visa. If approved, the applicant can live and work in the UK for an initial 33 months, with a path to indefinite leave to remain after five years.
This guide covers the process for Afghan nationals applying to join a partner who is a British citizen, settled in the UK, or holds refugee or humanitarian protection status. A significant number of sponsors in the UK Afghan community hold refugee status or indefinite leave to remain: both are valid for this route.
Who can apply
You can apply for a UK spouse visa if you are:
- Legally married to your sponsor, or in a civil partnership with them
- In an unmarried partnership and can prove you have lived together for at least two years
- Engaged and intending to marry within six months of arriving in the UK (fiancé visa route)
You must be aged 18 or over, your relationship must be genuine and subsisting, and you must have met your sponsor in person.
Who can sponsor
The person sponsoring your visa must be one of the following:
- A British citizen
- A person with indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- A person with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
The sponsor must be living in the UK, or intending to return when you arrive, and must meet the financial requirement.
Financial requirement
The sponsor must demonstrate a minimum gross annual income of £29,000. This threshold was introduced in April 2024. Verify the current figure on GOV.UK before applying, as it has been subject to change.
Income from employment, self-employment, rental income, and pension can all count toward the threshold. Savings above £16,000 can supplement income that falls short of the requirement.
Given that many Afghan sponsors arrived in the UK more recently, employment history and payslip evidence may be shorter than for other applicants. An immigration solicitor can advise on how to present income evidence effectively in these circumstances.
English language requirement
Applicants from Afghanistan must demonstrate English language ability at B1 level (independent user) on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Ways to meet the requirement:
- Pass an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) at B1 level. Approved providers include Trinity College London and IELTS SELT Consortium.
- Hold a degree taught entirely in English, recognised by UK ENIC as equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or above
- Be aged 65 or over
There are currently no approved test centres operating inside Afghanistan. If you are based in Afghanistan, you will need to travel to a neighbouring country to sit an approved test. Check the GOV.UK approved test centre list for current options.
Tuberculosis test
Afghanistan is on the UK’s list of countries where applicants must provide a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate. This is a chest X-ray carried out at an approved clinic. You cannot use results from any other provider or country.
The certificate is valid for six months, so plan your test date to align with your visa application timeline. If you are based inside Afghanistan, you will need to travel to obtain the TB test from an approved clinic in a country where such clinics operate. Check the GOV.UK TB test page for the current list of approved providers.
Accommodation requirement
The sponsor must demonstrate that there is adequate accommodation in the UK for both of you, without relying on public funds. The property does not need to be owned: rented accommodation qualifies. A mortgage statement, tenancy agreement, or landlord letter confirming the arrangement is the standard supporting evidence.
Documents needed
The documents required will depend on your specific circumstances. You will typically need:
- Valid passport or travel document (see note below)
- Marriage certificate: a nikah certificate is the standard form of marriage documentation in Afghanistan. It should ideally be registered with the relevant government authority. Where civil registration is available, a formally registered document strengthens the application.
- Sponsor’s proof of UK immigration status (passport, BRP, or share code)
- Sponsor’s proof of income (payslips, P60, employer letter, bank statements)
- Evidence of genuine relationship: messages, photographs together, records of contact, evidence of financial support
- English language test certificate
- TB test certificate
- Accommodation evidence (tenancy agreement, mortgage statement, or landlord letter)
- Documents not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation by a qualified translator
A note on documentation challenges
Civil documentation in Afghanistan has been significantly disrupted by decades of conflict and the current political situation. If formal registration documents are unavailable, the Home Office expects applicants to provide the best evidence they can and to explain in writing why certain documents cannot be obtained.
Supplementary evidence such as witness statements, photographs of ceremonies, evidence of cohabitation, and letters from community or religious figures can support applications where formal documents are incomplete or unavailable.
Applications from Afghanistan receive close scrutiny. Taking legal advice from an immigration solicitor before applying is strongly recommended. A solicitor experienced in Afghan cases will be familiar with the documentary challenges and can help present the application in the strongest possible way.
How to apply
The application is made online through the UK government’s visa application service. The applicant completes the online form, pays the visa fee and healthcare surcharge, and then attends an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to provide biometric information: fingerprints and a photograph.
There are currently no UK Visa Application Centres operating inside Afghanistan. Applicants based in Afghanistan must travel to a VAC in a neighbouring or accessible country. Common options include Islamabad (Pakistan) or Istanbul (Turkey). Use the GOV.UK VAC finder to confirm current availability before booking travel.
Costs and processing times
Visa fee: £2,064 (applying from outside the UK)
Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £3,105 (covering the initial 33-month visa period, at £1,035 per year). Verify the current IHS rate on GOV.UK before applying, as it is subject to change.
Total before additional costs: approximately £5,169. You should also budget for TB test fees, the English language test, travel to the VAC and test centres, document translation, and, if you use one, solicitor fees. For Afghan applicants, the travel costs associated with reaching a VAC can be significant.
Processing time: Standard processing is up to 12 weeks from the date of your VAC appointment. A priority service is sometimes available: check current availability when applying, as priority slots are not always open.
After approval: what comes next
If your visa is approved, you will receive a 30-day entry vignette in your passport or travel document. You must travel to the UK within this window.
On arrival, you will have a 33-month visa during which you are permitted to live and work. Before this expires, you will need to apply to extend for a further 30 months. After five years on the route in total, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Your eVisa will be issued digitally. You will need to set up a UKVI account to access and share your immigration status.
Children can be included in the application or apply separately. Each child pays the visa fee and healthcare surcharge separately.
FAQs
My sponsor has refugee status in the UK. Can they sponsor a spouse visa?
Yes. A person with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK can sponsor a Family Visa. The same financial and accommodation requirements apply as for any other sponsor.
I do not have a passport. Can I still apply?
You may be able to apply using a travel document or emergency travel document in some circumstances. This is a complex area and you should seek legal advice if you do not hold a valid Afghan passport.
What if formal marriage documents are not available?
Provide the strongest evidence available and include a written explanation of why formal documents cannot be obtained. Witness statements, photographs, and community letters can support the application. Legal advice is strongly recommended.
Where do I go for biometrics if I am in Afghanistan?
There are currently no VACs inside Afghanistan. You will need to travel to a VAC in another country, such as Islamabad (Pakistan) or Istanbul (Turkey). Check the GOV.UK VAC finder for current locations and appointment availability.
What if my application is refused?
You will receive a refusal letter explaining the reasons. Depending on the basis of refusal, you may have a right of appeal to the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal or may be able to make a fresh application addressing the issues identified. Legal advice before reapplying is strongly recommended.
Do I need a solicitor?
There is no legal requirement, but given the documentation challenges common to Afghan applications, most applicants benefit significantly from professional immigration legal advice.